Ad Captandum
by Happymeday
Summary: To Rin, it was all smoke and mirrors, and he didn't know if he was being fed lies or truths; except one. The only truth Rin knew was that he'd protect his family. Even if that meant he'd be alone, he'd sacrifice anything and everything for those dear to him. Of course, Rin supposed that being able to kill without remorse came with being a demon. It was a package deal kind of thing.
1. Chapter 0

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Ao no Exorcist, only this story plot.**

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_Ap Captandum_

_Prologue_

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It was your average day in True Cross city, with citizens walking about doing their business, mother's chatting as they pushed babies in strollers, and working men hurrying to and from lunch. It was a Saturday, and Rin whooped for joy as their grade was released, the twelve o'clock bell tolling loudly throughout the town.

"Come on, Yukio!" Rin shouted giddily, grabbing his brother by his hand so as to drag him faster.

Yukio grinned eagerly, returning his brother's steady grip so that the pair of ten year-olds held hands as they ran down the street tops. Yukio knew Daddy had told them not the run in the streets, but it was okay if they held hands, right?

"Daddy said he'd have lunch made by the time we get home, and I'm _hungry_, so hurry up!" Rin yelled back to his brother, who despite training laboriously in his exorcists studies never could match Rin's natural athleticism.

"Nii-san, not so fast!" Yukio laughed, pulling back on their shared hands to slow his bull of a brother down. "If you keep going like this, you're going to hit someone."

"Nuh-uh!" Rin retorted as he rounded a corner, using their momentum to swing his brother around. They collapsed, laughing hysterically with the jubilance of youth. "You tripped me!" Rin accused his brother.

"You tripped yourself and then pulled me down too!" Yukio denied, kicking his brother's foot. Rin retaliated by pushing his brother down, only to laugh even harder when Yukio's backpack prevented him from actually touching the ground.

The younger twin scowled, rolling around and picking himself up. He dusted his pants off, before slanting a glare towards his brother, who was still chortling on the ground. Yukio grinned.

"Here, nii-san," he said, extending a welcoming hand down to Rin. The elder twin, still giggling, didn't notice the evil glare in Yukio's eyes and gullibly took the offered hand. As he was pulled up, Yukio quickly let go, letting Rin fall back down with an inelegant "oomph!"

Yukio lost it. He laughed so hard tears sprang to his eyes, and Rin good-naturedly laughed as well. Finally, the two brother's picked themselves up, clasped hands once more, and continued their interrupted journey.

"I told you you were gonna fall." Yukio chided.

"No you didn't! You said I'd hit someone!" Rin exclaimed in mock anger, releasing their joined hands so that he could walk backwards as they talked, folding his arms behind his neck and glancing up towards the azure sky.

"And you did. You hit _me_."

"Aw, you don't count as _someone_." Rin returned, lowering his gaze to glimpse his brother's amused face.

But before Yukio could reply, a piercing scream interrupted them, and the twin's whipped their heads towards the startling close sound, tensing as it echoed morbidly in the shadowed alleyway beside them.

The sunlight lit up the buildings on either side of the narrow alley, but in the crevice between the two towering structures darkness pervaded so thickly it was hard to see through.

Yukio immediately gripped his brother's arm as Rin surged forward, prepared to meet -and possibly help- the seemingly young girl in distress. "Nii-san, no! We need to go get someone!" Apprehension tightened the younger twin's stomach as he tried helplessly to see through the mouth of the alleyway further in.

Rin took but a moment to glance back at his twin in disbelief. "Get someone? We need to help her now!" With that Rin overpowered his brother and ran in, leaving Yukio to stand nervously as he watched the darkness swallow his brave brother up.

Angry, Yukio yelled, "Stupid nii-san!" before wheeling around to hunt down a stranger, a police man, _anyone_.

Yukio's scream echoed back to Rin as the youngster pounded down the concrete walkway, his own steps coming to reverberate in his ears. A pervading silence weighed down on Rin, and as Rin felt himself drawing nearer to the source of the earlier scream, fear twisted his gut. It was too too dark for midday, even in an alley, Rin couldn't even see his feet! Something was very very wrong, he felt.

Nervously, Rin glanced upwards but found he couldn't even see the sky. His heart thundered in his chest, and Rin was suddenly feeling that maybe following Yukio's advice would have been better.

"Hello~," a voice gaily said, right by Rin's ear.

With a shriek Rin jumped away, crying out when his head slammed into the brick wall behind him. His eyes wheeled about in the darkness, trying uselessly to see who his assailant was, but he couldn't see anything. It was like he was blind.

"Aww, are you scared," the voice said happily, cooing in delight it seemed. Rin only felt marginally better that the source of the voice seemed to stay where it had been. "Did you hear my scream earlier? I've been working on different types. Please, tell me, what did it sound like to you?"

Stuttering, Rin answered. "Y-you sounded li-like a girl." The poor boy swallowed dryly, and now he couldn't feel his hands or feet, like his body was slowly going numb. He felt warm breath waft gently against his right cheek, and Rin shrieked once more. He tried to jump away but found he couldn't move.

"Really?" The voice demanded excitedly. "Oh, wonderful! I've been working on that for months now, but people always say I sound like a little boy, but," here, the voice paused, as if in thought. "You sound like a little girl when you scream too."

Here, Rin's indignation flared briefly, enough to overpower his fear. "I'm a boy!" he shouted to the space he thought the voice to be.

"And how delightful that is! I do prefer men over women, but little boys will do too." Rin thought he could see gleaming white teeth smile wickedly, but he wasn't sure. _Maybe I'm just imagining everything_, he thought, hoped. _Maybe it's a dream and Daddy will wake me up soon with pancakes and syrup and Yukio will laugh and hug me._

"No deary, it's not a dream." The syrupy voice giggled, when suddenly it grew demonic. "It's a nightmare!" As Rin's terror rose, the demon seemed to grow even more intoxicated. A slippery wet sensation slid up Rin's throat, and the young boy whimpered as he realized the voice was licking him.

His heart pounded so hard in his little chest that Rin thought it was about to explode. He couldn't breathe. Even now he kept trying, breathing, breathing, breathing, but nothing seemed to reach his lungs. Everything was burning, his arms his stomach, his chest, his hands, he couldn't breathe!

"Yes, yes, yes! Go on, keep getting scared! After all, there's no one coming to save you! Dear Yukio's gotten lost. Maybe I'll go after him!"

Here, Rin's fear spiked, and a thousand images of his small little brother in his same position filtered through his mind's eyes. No! He wasn't going to let this monster touch his brother! Nobody would ever hurt his brother!

With a inhuman roar Rin yelled and jumped away from the wall, blinking as a soft blue light flickered on. A hideous monster had been crouched over him, a long slimy tongue hanging from it's triangular like heard as it's back remained arched high into the air, legs bent like an animals', with arms too small for it's body. A long thick tail, like a lizard's, thrashed behind the monster.

At the sight of Rin's blue flames the monster screeched and reeled away, pressing against the wall Rin had been on in shock.

Rin caught sight of blue flickering, and when he looked down he found himself covered in blue flames, consuming his body wickedly, eagerly, wrapping around his fingers and arms, his legs. He was swallowed whole by the flame. Wildly, Rin flapped his arms, trying to dispel the fire. "Get it off, get it off!" he screamed, not noticing how the flames never burned him.

"My lord," the demon whispered, crouching forward to peer intently at the flickering azure light Rin gave off. "My lord, we've been searching for you!" Here the demon scuttled forward on lizard like feet, grasping with his hands towards Rin. Startled, Rin jumped back with a yelp, his attention returning from the blue flames sprouting from his body to the creature before him.

"Wh-what are you talking about!" Rin demanded, and yet the fire was still on his body. But he wasn't burning...there was no pain. Was he dead already?

"No, my young prince, you are not dead!" The demon eagerly reassured. "Your power has returned to you! Come, your father will be very pleased to see you!" At these words, Rin perked up, but quickly scowled.

"You're not going to take me to my daddy!" The words, though delivered strongly, were still feeble, and the demon could sense the weakness plaguing the youngster's mind. Oh, what a wonderful meal he would have made! Regretfully, however, this one was out of reach.

"But, young lord, I am! It's not that long of a trip, I promise you!"

Rin saw the logic in these words, the truth, for Rin and Yukio had actually not been too far from home when the shrill scream had stopped them. Suspiciously, Rin peered at the demon.

Once more finding Rin's doubts, the demon cajoled him further. "My young lord, your father will be able to subdue your flames!"

The eager words did the trick as Rin stared down at his flame covered hands, watching the energetic fire leap towards his face, which he suspected was also covered in the flames. After a moment of contemplation however, Rin scowled. "No! You tried to eat me! Go away!" With this, Rin pushed the approaching monster away, heedless of the brutal yells following as the monster began to burn with the blue flames. Rin ran away.

He ran towards what he thought the entrance was, but darkness was all around him, penetrated only by the soft glow of flames still encasing his body.

"S-someone!" Rin yelled, eyes grasping to see anything, something, someone, in the limited light his flames provided. Rin ran and ran, his feet pounding on black, his hands searching, but there was nothing.

"Daddy!" Rin screamed, crouching down and crying. He sobbed into his hands, little body shaking. He was lost, gone, he'd never see his daddy again.

Rin didn't know how long he crouched there crying, it was impossible to tell time in this dark void of a world he'd been sucked into. Gradually, however, sounds reached his ears, the hubbub of True Cross city breaking the darkness. Rin blinked and looked up, and when he saw sunlight he cried in relief again.

Perhaps it was only a rat, but a scuttling sound behind Rin sent the boy up and running once more, and Rin eagerly took the turns and roads leading to the monastery he lived in. He no longer paid any mind to the flames caressing his skin, nor to the fact that nobody seemed to notice them either. Rin ignored the overly large flies littering the skies, or the strange bobbing shapes clinging to walls and people, all he could think was to find his daddy and have him fix everything.

The monastery was in sight, as gloomy as ever even in the blinding midday sun, but Rin was undeterred. He slid to a skid in front of the gated entrance of the church, gasping for breath from his continuous run. There, there was his daddy! Standing with policeman and Yukio at the entrance to the church, Shiro was conversing sternly with the few uniform-clad men that had been sent, his heavy black robes weighing down on him and Yukio clinging to them, sobbing.

"Daddy!" Rin called, knees weak and unable to carry him further. He was home, he was safe, Daddy was here. Everything was okay. "Daddy!" Rin yelled again, watching as Shiro's head jerked up towards Rin, a giant smile spreading across his face. Yukio, following Rin's voice, and having spied Rin, pushed so hard from Shiro he almost fell, stumbling in his haste to run towards Rin.

"Nii-san!" Yukio screamed, already ahead of Shiro and the police men.

"Rin!" Shiro yelled back, pushing past the police men to run towards Rin.

There was suddenly a warmth at his back, though, and when Rin turned to look at it he found a tall grinning man. Huge curling horns adorned his temples, and his teeth were sharpened, his smile feral. A black miasma curled from his borrowed body, and Astaroth bent down, slipping his arms around Rin's shocked body.

"Come, let us take you to your father," Astaroth said, before slipping away into the darkness, Shiro's last yell following them and Yukio's cries dying in his ears.

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**A/N: Yes, this plot is a little bit over done, the whole "Rin is taken to Gehenna" but I've yet to find a good completed fic of it, so I decided I'd give a go at it.**

**Ad Captandum: In rhetoric an argumentum ad captandum, "for capturing" the gullibility of the naïve among the listeners or readers, is an unsound, specious argument designed to appeal to the emotions rather than to the mind. ...**

**I feel Rin is a rather emotional person, and while not totally idiotic he does go with his heart more often than his brain (Yukio's rather the opposite). The next few chapters will span Rin's time in Gehenna, and this will most likely be a very slow paced story. **

**Will most likely be updated once a week, on or around Monday-Wednesday, but no promises.**

**Also, there will be no romance! This is more family/friends-centric, so for those shippers out there, sorry!**

**If you've found any grammar mistakes, misspellings, or anything odd, please let me know! I've no beta, so this is all on me! (Speaking of, I am in the market for a beta, anyone interested?)**

**And for my Skip Beat followers, I've not abandoned my other fics! I've simply joined another fandom~ no worries, Aberrant will continue now that I am through with finals and summer's upon us!**

**As of 5/26/14: 2139 words**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers apply. I do not own Ao no Exorcist, only this story plot.**

**Edit: The content of chapters 1 and 2 have been switched around to make more linear sense. They've no new information.**

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Ad Captandum

_Chapter 1_

_Assiah_

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"Daddy!"

The yell, oh so wonderfully familiar, snagged at Shiro's ears, and the priest eagerly turned to face the shout, feeling Yukio detaching himself already. The little boy was already stumbling past Shiro, screaming for Rin.

"Daddy!"

"Rin!"

Shiro pushed past the policemen surrounding him, finally catching a full glimpse of Rin, who stood in his uniform, hair mussed and eyes bright, waving wildly at Shiro, and burning hot blue flames. Relief had washed over him so quickly Shiro lost his breath, his heart finally slowing down, only to drum a warrior's beat as he focused on the gleaming fire surrounding Rin.

The sun was shining in Rin's hair through the flames, and Yukio was already almost near him, Shiro following just a few paces behind, a heavy sense of foreboding weighing down his stomach, twisting his gut and plaguing Shiro with questions like _what happened_ and _does Rin know what's happening_ and _oh God what am I going to do now?_

Blinking, Shiro looked up towards Rin, and felt his heart stop. A curling of miasma unfolded from behind Rin, and from it stepped a man who was unremarkable aside from the curling ram horns adorning his head, the razor sharp teeth he grinned with, and the darkness enveloping him even in the bright midday sun.

As the man slipped his arms around his little boy, Shiro screamed, "Rin!"

But, even as the name left his lips, his son and the demon vanished, the inky miasma following in their wake. Yukio was crying, tumbling to the floor the two had been at, sobbing. Shiro felt like crying himself, and he stood brokenly as he realized he'd just lost his son.

One part of his mind hurried to try and identify the demon, cataloging all the manifested traits from the demon, the way the miasma had spread, how quickly he had appeared, and concurred that it had been Astaroth. That part of his mind was already reciting the fatal verse for the creature long gone, already mentally patting down the weaponry adorning every crevice of Shiro's body, already soaking adrenaline into his fingertips, eager for a fight.

But, another part, the human in him, cried brokenly. Rin grinning at him, Rin crying, Rin laughing, Rin running, Rin tripping, Rin barely walking, Rin eating messily, Rin demanding to cook, Rin pouting, Rin angry. A thousand and one images blinded him, leaving him breathless with a pain in his chest so tight he clutched the folds of his priestly garbs over it, drawing a hand over his eyes. Rin was gone. The words burned like acid into his mind, and Shiro wondered what would ever be able to patch up the gaping hole in his heart, what would ever make this right again because surely no wound such as this could be healed "with time"?

The very side of him that made him the Paladin, the logical, analytical, cold-blooded ruthless exorcist within him festered with facts and information, telling Shiro things he'd realized as soon as he saw Astaroth grab Rin. Rin was most likely heading to Gehenna tonight, would most likely either be killed or groomed to be a bloodied Prince, would most likely be used as a vessel for Satan in Assiah. Shiro had failed the deal he'd made with Mephisto, had failed Yuri, had failed Yukio.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!"

His remaining son's cries reached his ears, and numbly Shiro made his way to the crying boy, scooping him up and nestling him against his chest. Yukio eagerly accepted, wrapping his arms around Shiro's neck and sobbing against his shoulder. His brother was gone! A demon had taken him! He couldn't protect his brother anymore. Nii-san was gone.

But Shiro did not allow himself any tears. Whirling, the exorcist stalked past the policemen, ignoring their demands and stepping into the monastery. The clergymen were gathered just inside, and Shiro met each of their gazes as the heavy doors swung shut with a final thud, sealing them protectively into the monastery. Yukio started hyperventilating, and Shiro comfortingly began to rub his distraught son's back.

"Tell us what happened!" Murata demanded, pushing forward with his girth and grabbing Shiro's attention.

Like a typhoon anger crashed into him, and Shiro fiercely glared as he gripped Yukio. "Astaroth has taken Rin. They've awakened him." The words were bit out angrily, and the priests reeled back with shock, staring wide-eyed, before settling wearily into battle-mode.

"Gehenna Gate can't be opened until night falls. Astaroth has got to be hiding somewhere until then." Shiro continued, hand softly stroking Yukio's black hair, eyes hard as flint. "I need all of you to go hunt them down." As the words fell from Shiro's lips the priests were already in action, heading into a hidden room concealed by paneled wood to retrieve guns, liquids, and other such weaponry, hiding them within the robes of their priestly garb.

Here, Shiro hesitated. Logically, he knew the best choice would be to leave Yukio with one of the priests and to go hunt down Rin and Astaroth, but his heart bled for both his sons, one of them grieving in his arms.

With a sudden shove Yukio leapt from his arms, startling Shiro so badly he couldn't catch the boy in time, and was left to watch as the younger of his sons landed harshly on the wood floor, grunting and wincing, but nonetheless still managing to level a glare at Shiro.

"You're taking me!" Yukio tartly stated, eyes fierce and determined, and Shiro felt his heart shrink.

But he steeled his mind, and bent down to face Yukio at eye-level, crouching on his toes and balancing, the beads dripping from his glasses clacking, loud in the silence of the monastery. "No, Yukio. You aren't."

Growling, Yukio surged forward, nearly unbalancing Shiro in the process, and scampering away. "I am too, and you can't stop me! I need to save nii-san!"

Coldly, Shiro stood to his full height and stared down at Yukio. "You can't do anything boy. You'd only get in the way. You are going to stay here with Murata, and that's that." With those words Shiro turned sharply on his heel, knowing that behind him he left a sobbing broken-hearted little boy. He could hear Kyodo rushing over to calm the child as Shiro approached the previously hidden cabinet, grabbing a few weapons of the iron-kind, feeling the heavy metals weigh him down comfortably, securely, like they had for so many years.

With the cold decorations hugging him snugly, Shiro easily slid into the role of Paladin, and swiftly spoke his directions, sending the priests to separate areas in the city, with the hopes of finding Rin before darkness fell.

After receiving nods of acknowledgment Shiro left one lingering glance at Yukio, who, having gotten over his fit, stared glassy-eyed at him back, cheeks still stained with tears, because he _knew_ what had taken Rin. Shiro tried to give him a comforting smile, but found that when loaded with weapons, with blood staining his fingers, hands, and arms, and with the disappearance of Rin plaguing his mind, he couldn't really offer the most sincerest of smiles, and so he settled with a grim nod towards Yukio and left the monastery, it's heavy wooden doors, lined with steel, shutting with a thud behind him.

As always when Shiro stepped forth from the monastery in his cossack, people stared, seemed to realize they were being rude, look away, and then steal furtive glimpses at him, wondering all the while if he was hot in the black clothes. Frankly, his clothes had been tailor made to be light-weight, and to have enough slits and carefully placed openings that he could move quite freely in the most seemingly peaceful of clothes.

Today, as usual, he paid no mind to the lingering stares, instead heading with a deep determination to the section he'd assigned himself, keeping a watchful eye on the smaller demons to see if they'd carry any signs.

They were calm, no more agitated than usual, and Shiro sighed, half of his mind, the paladin side, still actively scanning the streets for signs and markings, and the other half, the fatherly one, lingering on Rin.

He'd been avoiding thinking of what would really happen to Rin. Shiro tried desperately to fend off the images of Rin writhing in blue flames, of Rin being controlled by Satan, of Rin being killed by exorcists. Of Rin being murdered…by himself. Breathing heavily, the tall man leant against the shadowed alley wall he'd slipped into, fingertips scraping themselves on the mortar between the bricks as he sought purchase and stability. Because over and over Shiro saw himself being ordered to murder Rin as an eventuality, as a punishment, because he knew just how cruel the Vatican could be.

Shivering, Shiro shook off the morbid images. He'd always been too much of a visual person, he cursed. Feeling strangely out of breath, he continued his search, prowling down alley-ways and busy street-roads alike, pleading, begging, praying that a sign of Rin would pop up.

He headed further and further, widening his search evermore as he found no signs of Rin nor Astaroth, his hand frequently clutching the silent cell in his pocket. But Shiro was stubborn, and he'd faced less hopeful situations. _At least with this mission I have some solid clues_, the exorcist within him whispered, springing forth a hope the father within him dashed in panic.

Soon, Shiro found himself passing the elementary school Rin and Yukio had been attending for two solid years, an impressive record considering how often Rin got expelled-usually for fights. Demons were attracted to Rin instinctively, clustering around him and often invoking negative emotions in those around Rin. Yukio usually saw the signs, and one of the priests would be dispatched to take care of it, under the guise of a parent-teacher meeting.

Fondly, Shiro tried to recall all the fights Rin had gotten into, but found the number was too big, and taking up too much time. Shaking his head, Shiro went on past the empty school, glancing up the find the sun had moved far too much for his liking.

_It's only been ten years_, he thought. Shiro had known a day like this would come, no matter what. Rin showed signs of his demon blood even while his demonic soul was subdued, and Shiro had only hoped it would be much later, at a time when Shiro would've been able to sit down and explain to Rin what the blood running through his veins really was.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing interrupted Shiro's wandering thoughts, startling the exorcist, who then promptly quelled his beating heart and retrieved the cell phone vibrating in one of his many pockets.

Flipping the device open, Shiro took a deep breath and pressed the receiver to his ear, cringing when Nagatomo's voice blasted loudly, as usual. "We've found traces of Astaroth!" Perking up at the news, Shiro demanded locations, and once he received them asked Nagatomo to inform the other priests as well.

Slipping the now silent cell into his pocket, Shiro whirled around to trek back to the monastery, and from there head East. In retrospect, Shiro figured that made sense, since it would be darkest earliest starting in that cardinal direction. Growling at his lack of forethought, and wishing he'd thought to bring a bike or _something_, Shiro hurriedly made his way over to the destined area: the industrial side of town.

True Cross City was a megalopolis worth the adjective. Mephisto made sure of that. Aside from the reputable academy that sat atop the hill the city was built on and around, it's transportation system was swift and sure, with any and all industries making their mark on the city. It's only down-side that most people agreed on (Shiro argued there were many other down-sides, but alas he might just be biased) was the fact that the closer you got to the mountain top, the wealthier and more prosperous the area became. The further from the mountain, the cheaper the people, goods, and overall aspects of the city. But that seems to be the case in most cities, with the wealthy dominating one area, and the poor another, but nonetheless Shiro, even as paladin, resigned himself to living in a monastery far out of the way for the protection of his sons, even if it meant they were a small twenty-minute drive from the industrial side of town.

Now, though, Shiro blessed his home for its approximate location, and when he saw the monastery looming in the distance, he broke out into a run, taking shortcuts that he saw in the virtual map he'd memorized the day he began living in the monastery. Shiro had always been prepared for something like this.

The hard concrete seemed to rise to meet him with every step, and as Shiro neared the industrial mountains of buildings, and began to smell the salty tang of the ocean, he could feel his age wearing down his bones. He grimaced. Age was something you just couldn't avoid.

"Shiro-sama!" Glancing up, he saw it was Izumi gesturing wildly at him with his arms, "Over here!"

Ignoring his enthusiastic antics for once, Shiro headed towards the loud man. "What's going on?" He asked.

Izumi eagerly answered. "Nagatomo said the demons were more agitated than usual heading in this direction, so he followed the trail and found a horrid miasma centered around one of the warehouses. He's been spying and has found Astaroth and Rin, along with a few low to mid-class demons lingering around."

Nodding at the report, he scanned the skies to locate the cursed building and spotted it easily, its inky darkness staining the setting sun in the background. Shiro cursed once more as he found their time was steadily running out.

Quickly, he gathered all the priests, laying out a plan. "Izumi-san, you and Nagatomo-san will take out the lower class demons surrounding the warehouse and inside, while I and Kyodo-san will take on Astaroth. It's gotta be done fast, the sun's already setting," he relayed. Izumi glanced up at the sun and nodded, while Nagatomo eagerly checked once more all the weapons stored on his body, and Kyodo merely nodded, staring hard at the lurking demons.

Confidently, Shiro went over his simple plan in his mind, hope once more bubbling in his chest. This seemed easy. Easy enough that Shiro knew it'd probably go wrong one way or another. Taking a deep breath, the paladin shook off the paranoid thoughts and started forward, knowing the priests behind him would fall in line as usual.

The warehouse was big and large, its entrance conveniently facing the sea and docks, the sun lighting up the large wooden doors. There were no humans around, probably having fled from the nasty feelings the miasma would've given them, but demons meandered around in flocks, their chittering and growling contrasting sharply against the calm crashing waves.

Nagatomo and Izumi surged forward, capturing the simple-minded demons' attention easily. They crowded the two exorcists, snarling and chattering in their demonic tongue. Bypassing the fight already starting, Kyodo and Shiro entered the warehouse easily, the door slipping shut behind them cutting off the noise of demons' screaming and the grunts Nagatomo and Izumi gave as they engaged the creatures.

Inside, the noise was so muffled it was eerily quiet, and a miasma spread throughout the building, not quite strong enough to affect them, but enough to leave the air unsettled. Shiro scanned their surroundings, once more slipping into the role of an exorcist.

Large crates surrounded them, some placed alone on the floor, other towering in stacks. A set of beams was off to the side, forming a pyramid, and small rectangular windows were set high in walls. Rin was nowhere to be found, and Astaroth was equally hidden.

Spreading out, Shiro separated from Kyodo and walked among the crates, rounding the towering ones only to find more.

He walked around every tower with trepidation, around every tower with the thought that _around this one could be Rin_. Yet, every stack of crates Shiro cleared never procured the boy he was looking for. Calmly, Shiro tried to not rush, to not alert the enemy where he was. He'd earned patience over the years - Lord knew he needed it with the twins- but nonetheless his heart beat an angry rhythm, one that had Shiro's blood pumping for a fight. His knuckles itched, aching to slam themselves into Astaroth's borrowed face.

_How big _is _this warehouse_? Shiro wondered impatiently, scowling as he'd yet to find Astaroth or Rin. _What if this is all an illusion? What if he's actually in another warehouse? _But Shiro shot down the idea. Astaroth wasn't a strong enough demon to conjure such powerful illusions.

Suddenly someone was cackling above him, and Shiro raised the gun in his right hand to shoot at the voice before he'd even checked to see it was him. But he knew. He could feel the demonic presence easily, and so he shot.

When he finally caught sight of the demon it was to see Astaroth yowling in pain, clutching an injured arm and reeling backwards off the tower of crates next to Shiro. The paladin cursed. He never thought to really look up as he searched. Astaroth could've been tailing him this entire time for all he knew.

Quickly, Shiro spoke.

"_O Lord, let each be judged according to his deeds.__"_

Growling, Astaroth leapt for him, hands outstretched to grab him, and Shiro retaliated, first shooting the demon in his shoulder before grabbing him and flipping him over, slamming him down into the ground. The exorcist backed away, still speaking.

"_Let sinful conduct beget retribution. Let each pay for that which he has taken. Bring down thy justice upon them. Smite them they never rise again."_

Astaroth screamed in agony, writhing in pain even as he reached once more for Shiro, claws scraping for purchase on the wooden floor, hatred etched into every facet of the poor human's face. Grimacing, Shiro refrained from kicking him in the face, but was sorely tempted to. This was the bastard that had tried to take his son.

"_Blessed be the Lord. My prayer has been answered. The Lord is my helper and he is my shield._

The verse was almost done, with only one line left, and the demon knew it. Curling inky smoke rose from the body laying on the floor before Shiro, eyes gazing with fury at the paladin. A wild, crazy, blood-thirsty smile twisted the demon's face, and a sinking feeling surged down in Shiro's stomach.

From pale lips, Astaroth spoke. "It's already too late."

"_Demon perish where you stand!__"_Shiro yelled, not even bothering to watch as Astaroth was exorcised, turning his back on the demon as he finally felt the larger, uglier, presence Astaroth had desperately been hiding.

Someone else was here.

Heart stuttering, Shiro raced towards the darkest part of the warehouse, coal tars dancing merrily around him as he pushed past them. It was dark now, when did it get so dark so quickly? He could've sworn the sun was still far from being down.

Skirting a corner, he found Kyodo lying face down in a pool of blood from a wound Shiro couldn't find, still, and around him flickers of black miasma emanated from a tall willowy man with a workers uniform, the maniacal grin on his face telling Shiro everything.

And in his arms, sleeping soundly it seemed, was Rin, cradled securely. The demon turned slightly to glance at Shiro.

"It seems Astaroth failed at his job. I'll have to report this to father." Turning from Shiro the man casually retrieved a vial from seemingly empty space, popping off its cap and upending the container. Shiro watched as blood – it couldn't have been anything else- slipped onto the cement floor. The tall man spoke a few words in a demonic tongue, and instead of pooling as liquid ought to, the blood instead formed a rectangle, spreading farther and longer than the amount of blood that fell could've reached.

Shiro watched in numb horror as the Gate of Gehenna was formed, bubbling masses reaching up from the blood the demon had poured, the gate constructing itself from what Shiro could only guess was Satan's blood.

Before the Gate could even begin to start forming, Shiro whipped out the gun loaded with holy-water capsules, firing off several rounds at the willowy demon, who easily deflected them with just a raised hand in their direction. Scowling, as Shiro whipped out the heavier duty weapons he ransacked his mind trying to identify exactly who this demon was. Without the identity, he couldn't recite any verses.

He leveled the weapons at the demon, cursing when he saw that if he did hit the demon, he'd injure the human in the process. _But_, Shiro thought, _sacrifices have to be made_. Quickly whipping out a holy-water grenade, he chucked the canister at the demon, grinning happily when he heard snarls of pain emanate from the now shadowy figure.

He aimed low, for the demon's legs, unwilling to risk putting Rin in the line of fire. He shot off two rounds, one for each leg, and watched baffled as they ricocheted off an invisible barrier, even as the demon choked on the holy gas. He tried two more shots, only to receive the same results as before. A helpless sort of feeling began to take over him, and Shiro watched as the gas cleared, revealing the tall skinny figure of the demon again.

"Who are you," Shiro tried, knowing how dangerous it was to converse with a demon, but also feeling safe in the security that not even Satan could possess him.

"My name is Abaddon, and exorcist you shall find no verse to eradicate me, as you so desperately seek." The words seemed hollow, empty, floating to Shiro as if through a vacuum. Whispery, light, yet still strong.

Desperately, for Shiro was indeed very desperate, he surged towards Abaddon, fists raised, ready to grab Rin and just throw him behind Shiro, regardless of how he might be hurt. Anything was better than having him go to Gehenna, _anything_.

As if anticipating his every move, Abaddon neatly avoided all of Shiro's attacks, grinning once more. "Foolish exorcist, can't you see? I can read your mi-!" He choked, then, suddenly, blood bursting forth from his lips, and now blood was leaking from every orifice, streaming in vivid lengths down his borrowed face. Abaddon cursed. "I thought this body would last longer."

Shiro took his chance, whipping round his pistol to shoot at the demon's shoulder, just above Rin's sleeping head, and for one horrified moment watched in abject terror as a coughing tremor went through Abaddon, moving Rin's head into the line of fire…

The bullet ricocheted as all the others had, and Shiro was torn between relief and annoyance, and fear.

But the Gate had already finished forming. Throwing all caution to the wind Shiro just up and ran at Abaddon and Rin, who was still comatose. He was only feet away when he slammed into the barrier that had been protecting Abaddon this entire time. He struggled, digging his feet into the cement and placing his hands on the barrier, fingertips going white from the pressure.

"Rin!" He yelled, voice barely heard over the gurgling cries of the monsters of Gehenna Gate. "Rin wake up! Rin!" He screamed, beating at the barrier. He tried to toss another grenade, but found it bounced off the barrier, landing with a metal clang on the floor and rolling away. Now, Shiro could feel them, the tears, piercing the corners of his eyes and stuffing a hard rock down his throat. He choked. He was losing his son.

"Rin!" He screamed widly, watching as slowly, carefully, Abaddon laid Rin down on the bubbling mass of inky heads, who cried in delight and wrapped gooey hands around Rin, securing him and slowly dragging him down. Rin's face was in peace, it seemed, as calm as if he was comfortably asleep in his bed at home. Shiro could feel the tears trekking down his rough cheeks, dripping off his scruffy chin, but he didn't care. His baby boy was being taken away.

"Goddammit!" Shiro cursed, punching the barrier so hard he felt the skin over his knuckles split, blood dripping into the crevices of his fingers. "Rin, wake up! Please, you can't leave behind your brother! Rin!"

And then all that he could see was a tuft of dark hair among the masses of swarming heads, and then nothing.

"Rin!" Shiro sobbed.

He thought he heard a harsh baying laughter, but when he looked up he found the formerly possessed body lying bloodied on the cement floor, and Gehenna Gate gone, as if it had never been there in the first place.

In fact, there wasn't even a barrier up anymore, and Shiro staggered past the probably dead man, collapsing onto the floor where the Gate had been, his knees retaliating with brutal pain as he landed on them.

Shiro placed his hands on the floor, as if he by sheer will he could force the Gate to open again and he could drag Rin out, but Shiro had never been one to not look reality in the face, and so he hunched over, covered his face with bloodied hands, and cried.

Rin was gone, and Shiro had done nothing.

* * *

**A/N: And here is the Assiah side of things. ****The story will cover both the twin's lives, as both Rin and Yukio face the loss of a brother, and are thrown into a whole new world, (and in Yukio's case, given an incentive entirely more...er, passion-driven).** Most likely, when I feel like it's pertinent to the plot then I'll have the next chapter be of that certain world.

**I know when we meet Shiro he's shown to be a very youthful old man, who enjoys teasing Rin, but obviously loves his twins very much. I tried to show how much Shiro would struggle beneath the weight of heartbreak and of being a exorcist. As shown during the Kyoto arc, Shiro is not one to sugar-coat reality, and can be quite ruthless, yet merciful. I like to think Shiro's suffered a lot at the hands of a cruel world.**

**I know there wasn't a lot of Yukio in here, but I promise in the upcoming chapters one will focus on how he copes with the loss of his brother! **

**Abaddon is an OC, just fyi. You'll probably see a bit of him in the future, but not much, I promise! I myself don't like fics with too many OC's, so don't expect to see a lot of them.**

**I want to extend a huge thanks to **_A Stranger 0.0 _**, who hit the nail on the head with her review. Thank you so much, you really gave a voice to one of my insecurities about this fic, and I'm glad you have such faith in me! I hope you continue reading :)**

**To everyone who's read, thank you for giving this fic with a cookie-cutter-summary a chance! I hope you've enjoyed reading so far, and I hope you'll continue to read my writings. If you've any thoughts, opinions, advice or critiques please let me know either via PM or a review.**

**Again, if you find any grammar mistakes, spelling errors, or anything that seems odd let me know! **

**Thanks for reading!**

**As of 6/11/14: 4267words**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimers apply. I do not own Ao no Exorcist, only this story plot.**

**Edit: The content of chapters 1 and 2 have been switched around to make more linear sense. They've no new information.**

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Ad Captandum

_Chapter 2_

_Gehenna_

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With a heady rush Rin awoke, shooting straight up as memories tumbled over one another to be remembered. Blindly Rin shouted, "Daddy! Yukio!"

Like feathers fingertips ghosted over his outstretched hands, grasping the searching fingertips and tugging them down to rest against the bedspread once more. "Calm down Rin," he said.

Wildly the young boy turned to face his assailant, blinking rapidly, but nonetheless darkness invaded his vision, with slight muffled outlines barely visible. He thought he saw horns. "Who are you?!" He screamed, scuttling backwards only to be seized strongly -yet gently- by the arms. Rin's heart pounded out a tune so erratic he feared it'd never return to normal.

"Rin, calm down." The person reiterated, squeezing Rin's upper arms softly. "I'm not going to hurt you." Soothingly, his left arm was released, and Rin felt a hand thread his hair through it's fingertips. Despite himself, Rin relaxed, the lulling motion reminding him of his father.

"I can't see," Ren cried, hands reaching up rub his eyes fiercely. The hand gripping his right upper arm fell away.

"That's normal. You'll get your sight back in a few moments, don't worry." The man, for that's what he sounded like, reassured. Even as the man spoke Rin's vision was returning, slowly and spottily. Gradually Rin became able to see everything as the man before him hummed softly, a hand still caressing Rin's hair.

The first thing Rin did was focus on the man. He was blond, and so bright it was hard to look at him. It was like staring into the sun. Rin squinted a bit, and found him to be a regular person, which immediately set Rin at ease. The only strange things about him were the straight tuft of hair sticking from his crown, and the very silver like light color his eyes were. The more Rin stared at the man's eyes the more Rin felt like he were staring straight into the sun, blinding him.

"Why are you so bright?" Rin asked, turning away to blink out the sun spots.

The man chuckled. "I am the morning star." At Rin's blank response, the man smiled lightly. "My name is Lucifer."

"Like the devil!" Rin exclaimed, finally whipping back around to stare at the man.

Lucifer laughed quietly again. "Mmm, not quite, but almost there." Confused, Rin ignored the response.

"Where am I?" Rin demanded, glancing away from Lucifer once more -though it was hard to do so. Something made Rin want to just stare at him all day- to look at the room he was in. He sat in a hospital bed, sheets bunched around where Rin sat up. Lucifer was sitting on a stool beside his bed, and the room was large and white, similar to a hospital room. "Am I in the hospital?" Rin asked.

"You are, but not in Assiah. You're in Gehenna."

"Assha-what? Is that a city or something?" The boy asked, stopping his ocular exploration of the room to stare at Lucifer. A placid smile stretched the man's lips, a slight warmth in his eyes calming Rin.

"Assiah. It's a world, parallel to Gehenna." And Rin's uncomprehending stare, Lucifer realized he needed a better explanation. "Think of it as...a mirror." Lucifer said, languidly waving a hand in the air, watching intently as Rin cooed in excitement as the Morning Star conjured a silver gilded mirror. It floated about his hand, slowly revolving, and Rin stared mesmerized. "One one side," here the mirror shifted, and in it's reflection was not the boy's wide eyed gaze but a glimpse of pure blue sky, birds in flight, with the images changing from the view of a city skyline, of people meandering down city streets. "Is Assiah. The world you used to be in. But, on the other side," and then the mirror completed a turn, revealing the other side. All the images before seemed...different. Starting with the last image, instead of humans there were creatures of unimaginable horrors, walking as if they were normal humans. Instead of sleek beautiful birds taking to the skies they were disfigured morbid creatures with shorn wings. And the last image, of an azure sky, was not as vibrant. It was dim, as if someone had grabbed a dark near opaque filter and placed it over the sky. "is Gehenna, the world you live in now. Here, demons live, while in Assiah humans live. Here, is where you are." Lifting his hand, Lucifer watched as the mirror floated into Rin's eager hands, who quickly turned the mirror to and fro, comparing the two worlds.

"Is Gehenna a bad place?"

At Rin's innocent question, Lucifer hesitated. He was not one to corrupt. Meeting the boy's blue eyes, he said, "I think that's something you should decide on your own."

Rin nodded sagely, though Lucifer doubted he truly understood. The youngster glanced down into his hands, where the mirror lay, and sucked in a gasp. Glaring up at Lucifer, he demanded, "How did I get here! I wanna go back home!" As if to prove it, Rin tossed the mirror aside and leapt up from the bed, whirling around to face Lucifer. "Take me home!"

Said man stared passively down at Rin. "I can't. You can only go back the same way you came here- through Gehenna Gate."

"Then take me to this gate!" The hot tempered youth shouted.

"The only one who can do that is your father." As he said these words, he peered at Rin intently. "Would you like to see him?"

"Daddy's here? Take me to him! Come on!" Grabbing Lucifer's very warm hand, Rin tugged the tall man from his chair towards the only door he spotted. He did not notice Lucifer flinch, or stare wearily at their joined hands.

Rin grasped the silver door knob and rushed out into the hall. It was a large looming thing, with glass-less windows covering the majority of it. Rin had no patience to stop and admire the landscape, dull as it was, and instead rounded on the tall man he lead behind him.

"I don't know the way!" Rin said, as if blaming Lucifer for his lack of knowledge. "Come on, go!"

Smiling slightly at Rin's enthusiasm, Lucifer shook of the dredges of guilt that had been plaguing him and started off down the hall, following the overbearing demonic presence his father gave off. Remembering, the man looked back to see Rin scampering after him, struggling to match the much taller man's pace. He obligingly slowed down, though still kept a distance away.

As he approached the large wooden doors, he announced his name to the man standing there, and his request for privacy. The lesser demon nodded and eagerly ran to do his task, leaving Lucifer and Rin waiting outside the throne room.

"Is he in there? Why are we waiting? Is that man going to get him?" Rin asked incessantly, once more grabbing a hold of Lucifer's hand as if to grab his attention. The reserved elder shunted a gaze towards the very much younger boy, but Rin was undeterred by the lack of response. "How long do we have to wait?"

Before Lucifer could think of a way to get out of answering Rin's stubborn questions, the porter returned. "You may enter." The porter waved his hand, and the large doors swung open silently, steadily, and slowly, revealing the room it hid in increments.

Rin was practically dancing by his side, and Lucifer gripped the small child's hand to prevent him from running off.

Down a little ways sat the greatest king of demons, Satan. He was reclined casually in a overbearing throne, one leg thrown over it's side, the other folded on the seat itself. Various foods hovered in the air for the king's picking, and at the moment he was munching on a banana. The airy room was filled to the brim with windows, the only wall space visible being the few inches separating each glass-less window pane. Columns set at intervals stretched from the floor to the ceiling, parallel to the ingrained walkway leading to Satan. The floor was inlaid with marble, and shone spectacularly. The only other person in the room aside from Satan was the porter.

"You're dismissed."

The deep rebounding voice somehow reverberated in the room, and the porter, sensing the command, squeaked and scampered away. The door slid shut with a muted thud, leaving an overtly eager boy, a calm demon prince, and a curious demon king.

"Tell me Lucifer, is this my progeny?" Satan asked, staring intensely at the boy who had only glanced briefly at him before allowing his eyes to roam every crevice of the room.

Rin spoke before Lucifer had a chance to. "Hey, where's my dad? I thought you'd said he was in here!" Rin stared accusingly at the tall man who's hand he held.

Killing two birds with one stone, Lucifer released the hand he held to gesture towards Satan. "This is your father."

Passively, the elder demon watched as Rin followed, his head turning and his eyes finally truly looking at Satan.

He was a seemingly good looking young man, perhaps in his mid-twenties, with thick straight dark blue hair falling down to past his shoulders, eyes of the lightest possible blue alighting on Rin with the most penetrating stare it left the boy uneasy. He was clad in nothing but pants that clung to his hips loosely, and ended at his calves, hanging and softly billowing as if a personal wind whirled around the Demon Lord, tugging on long tresses of hair. Truly, he looked more angelic than demonic.

Rin tore his eyes away from Satan - for like Lucifer, it seemed hard to not stare at him- to glare at Lucifer. "That's not my dad." Here, he shuffled a few feet away, folded his arms, and tried his best to imitated the disappointed look his father had worn so well sometimes. The look that made Rin feel guilty and uneasy and sorry. "My dad is a lot older than him!" Rin pointed a wayward finger at Satan, who at Rin's proclamation laughed long and hard, bending double.

Lucifer stared at Satan until the greater demon regained his bearings, still chuckling as he refocused on Rin. "My boy, I am much older than I seem."

Rin was confused. "You don't have any wrinkles though. I'm not stupid!" He scampered a few steps closer so as to see Satan better, and nodded when he confirmed his earlier thoughts. "You're only a couple of years older than me!"

"Ah, but I am the King of all Demons, I am bound to be immortal, no?" Satan grinned.

Rin frowned, but before the boy could conjure a response Satan grinned ferally, leaning in his seat so that his face was dangerously close to Rin's. The black-haired youth froze, fear pounding in his veins suddenly.

"And you, being my son, would be immortal too, no?"

His words struck Rin, who laughed uproariously. "Hahaha! Didn't I just say I wasn't stupid? Okay _Dad_, got any proof?"

Not deterred, Satan settled into his seat once more, leaning on his bent elbow that rested against the arm of his throne, the other hand lazily lifting in the air. Rin watched intrigued as a whirling ball of blue flames spun into existence in Satan's hand, growing in size until a veritable inferno revolved hungrily, it's soft heat like soothing balm to Rin's skin.

"If you weren't my son, you would be burned by this." Before Rin could truly comprehend Satan's words, the Demon Lord flicked his wrist, sending the ball of flames at Rin like a torpedo, the boy in question staring wide-eyed in shock as the flames consumed him, wrapping around his frame and curling through his hair.

He screamed, dropping to the floor and patting at his arms, clothes, face, legs, wildly, wide-eyed and uncontrollable. Along with Satan's flames burst forth his own, turning him into a human pyre that licked the top of the vaulted ceiling.

"Relax, boy," came Satan's voice, invading the flames to reach Rin's ear. His deep voice resounded thoroughly. "They aren't hurting you, are they?"

At the prompt, Rin opened his shut eyes and gazed at his unmarked arms through the haze of blue, marveling at how it did not burn but was actually..._warm_. Like a blanket fresh out of the dryer there was comfort in being wrapped in these blue flames, and as Rin calmed down the inferno that had been his own blue flames dissipated, leaving on Satan's, who, with a slight flick of a finger, vanquished the rest, leaving the poor confused boy sitting on the marble floor before his father.

His father grinned victoriously, finally unfolding from his chair to stand by Rin. He bent and easily picked up the ten year old, grasping him gently and tucking him into the crook of his arm. He gazed up at Rin, who stared wide-eyed back at him, his azure human eyes fascinating the Demon King.

"See, my son, this who you are."

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**A/N: Yeah, my portrayal of Satan is a bit iffy, but from what I've seen in the manga, I think he's kind of a merciless humorous laid back kind of guy, who wields his power effortlessly and indulgently. At the same time, I think he's keen on keeping everything under control, so perhaps not _so_ loose-fingered, but alas, I digress. Anywho, I'll keep Satan vaguely mean, humorous, merciless, and power-indulgent. **

**Also, for those who think I've made Lucifer up...lol this story's full of spoilers, so if you've not read the latest chapter and don't wanna be spoiled, I suggest you don't read it. Onwards!**

**Lucifer, on the other hand, seems very calm as he is portrayed in the manga. Kinda quiet, kinda serious, and not entirely gung-ho on killing Rin (which kinda makes me hope they'll be bros, though I doubt it). Lucifer is the Morning Light, so I'll just assume that even when not in his shining glory, he's probably still very bright to look at it. Lucifer is also not very used to kids (or kinda has never actually talked to one before. Awkward!Lucifer? lol!)**

**As always, if you've found any grammer or spelling mistakes, or just anything that seems **_weird_ **please let me know! I hope you've enjoyed my story so far, and that you'll review letting me know what you think or feel!**

**As of 5/30/14: 2184 words**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Ao no Exorcist, only this story plot.**

* * *

_Ad Captandum_

_Chapter 3_

_Gehenna_

* * *

"I'm not a demon!" Rin yelled, like a mantra the familiar words sprung from his lips, and he pushed away from Satan in distress. Landing nimbly on his feet - because he's always been athletic- Rin scampered away from the tall dark-haired man.

Satan laughed unkindly. "But that's exactly what you are. These blue flames," he brandished his hands, flames jumping wildly in the space between them, "are evidence of your blood." Without warning Satan took two long strides to crouch before Rin mockingly, grinning ferociously as he allowed the flames balled within his hands to grow large and consume them once more. Rin couldn't breathe, watching as the blue light surrounded them, becoming all that he saw. He slowly shook his head.

In his mind's eye he could see Shiro, his _real _dad, smiling at him, and Rin glared at the impressive looming man before him. "You're not my dad."

Satan's grin finally fell, and the flames around them vanished without so much as a moments notice, disorienting Rin who blinked a few times to adjust to the dull monochrome state Gehenna seemed to permanently be in.

Apparently having lost interest, Satan turned idly on his heel, heading towards the wide windows. "Lucifer," he called, "let Craizo know I'm taking the rest of the day off." And with that, he leapt from the window sills, his long trailing black-blue hair the last thing Rin saw.

Rin ran to the window and gazed down, only to see Satan whole and healthy, flying away nonchalantly. Gaping, Rin turned towards Lucifer.

"Did you see that?" Rin demanded, rushing towards Lucifer to grab the elder's hand. Before Rin's fingers could even graze Lucifer's, though, the Sub-Demon King wrenched his hand away, staring in consternation at the eager little boy.

Shrugging off the rejection, Rin pointed at the windows. "He jumped out the window! He flew!" Piercing blue eyes met light sun-colored eyes, eyes that shifted away.

Lucifer shrugged, a human mannerism he'd picked up somehow in Assiah. "He's a demon god. He has powers unlimited, he's a perfect entity," the words fell from Lucifer's lips like a rote- for that's what they were, words that had been beat into him for years.

Rin was silent for a few moments, thinking. Petulantly, Rin gazed up at Lucifer who was unable to tear his eyes away from the striking blue orbs pleading with him. "I wanna go home," Rin cried, face crumpling as his eyes became shiny. He didn't want to be here, where the sky was a weird blue, where people set him on fire and where Yukio and his Dad weren't here!

He tried again to reach for the hand of the elder demon, and this time Lucifer backed away from Rin completely, placing a lengthy distance between himself and the grasping child. Hesitantly, Lucifer looked around. There was no one. Did Satan mean to have _Lucifer_ care for this child?

"Take me home!" Rin shouted angrily, stamping his foot in a tantrum that Shiro would have never let him get away with, and that Lucifer didn't know how to deal with. How did one..._handle_ a human child? Or a half-human half-demon creature? Or, mostly human but with his demon soul stored away? Shaking his head, Lucifer quietly admitted that he didn't know how to take care of children at all, human or demonic, or anything in between.

Growling, flames burst forth from Rin, surrounding his tiny frame, making him look so much like a miniature Satan Lucifer wanted to laugh but found that he couldn't.

"Why won't you take me home?!" Rin yelled again, frustrated at the demon's lack of response. All he did was stare, stare, and _stare_ at Rin, as if he had green skin! "Why won't you say _something_?"

Taking a deep breath, Lucifer finally spoke. "The only way to get home is to go through Gehenna Gate." Rin looked at him sharply, opening his mouth to say something, but Lucifer continued. "And the only way to get to Gehenna Gate is to ask your father...Satan."

"He's not my dad!" But, even so, Rin angrily whirled around to rush back towards the windows, but there was no sign of the demon lord, and Rin cried. He couldn't go home. He was stuck here, and he wanted to go home right _now_!

"Don't cry," Lucifer said blandly, still maintaining his distance. "You can ask when he comes back. But you're going to stay here anyways. Satan's not letting you go."

Lucifer quickly found that he probably shouldn't have said those words, as Rin began to cry in earnest, and, baffled, Lucifer quietly stood there.

Finally, after some moment's time, the elder demon spoke, capturing Rin's attention with the soft way his words fell in the room. "Come, I'll escort you to your room."

And this time, when Rin reached for him, Lucifer felt a twinge in his long dormant heart, and pityingly allowed the small child to grasp his hand. Together, the tall blond led them to the little prince's prepared rooms.

Rin cried so hard snot dripped from his nose, and with his free hand he wiped away the liquids, careless of how they smeared on his clothes. But it would have bothered Yukio, and thoughts of his strait-laced overtly clean brother cleared away the last of Rin's tears. If Yukio saw him now, he'd be disappointed. In fact, Rin was disappointed in himself. He was a big brother! When he finally got reunited with his family, Rin wouldn't be able to face Yukio with the knowledge that all Rin had done was cry.

Mindless of the halls and turns they took, they finally stopped in front of another impressive set of doors, nowhere near the size of the throne room's, but formidable in their own right. Quietly, for he'd spent himself crying, Rin followed Lucifer in to his designated rooms. They entered a foyer that was pristine in a theme of whites and golds, a some-what odd looking person standing just off to the side of another set of white doors. He bowed low at the waist when Lucifer and Rin walked past him into another room. Rin groaned, wandering how long they'd have to walk, and how many more doors they'd go through. He was verging on sleep-walking.

His tired state didn't last long, however, when he saw his rooms. They were H-U-G-E. Rin almost cracked his neck trying to see the shadowed vaulted ceiling of his room. A set of couches around a large rug were situated next to tall once-again-glass-less-windows, a wall of books taking up another corner, and in another a medium sized table complemented by straight backed chairs. By the couches was another door, and straight across the room from that door was another set. The first-named door was nondescript in appearance, wooden and brown, but the other doors were large, white, and designed in curling deep blue decals.

"Is this all mine?!" Rin excitedly asked, peering around the room at every couch. But before Lucifer could answer, Rin demanded, "Hey, where's my bed? Where am I sleeping? On the couch?"

The dark-haired boy whirled on the blond, only to be chastised by an impatient frown marring the latter's face. Clearing his throat, Lucifer said, "Your bed is through those doors," here he gestured towards the impressive set of white doors. Then he pointed towards the lone plain brown door, and said, "And this is a rest room."

"I have _two _rooms?" Rin was in shock. Back at home, he had to share a room and bunk-bed with Yukio. These couldn't possibly be his own rooms.

But Lucifer nodded in agreement, and, flabbergasted, Rin once more was inclined to quietly trail behind the powerful blond.

The set of white doors swung open on silent hinges, and this room, while much more magnificent in detail, was suitably smaller for a room meant to be slept in. A grand fireplace was set several feet away from the foot of an equally, if not more, grand four-poster bed, dripping in several layers of transparent curtains, completely hiding the depths of his bed from outside view, A small sitting table was off to the side, accompanied by a sofa, a lounge chair, more rugs, another set of bookcases, and all sorts of decorative features suitable for a prince but entirely ill suited for Rin, who scanned the grandeur of the room and scowled.

Feeling uneasy, and vaguely irritated, Rin tore his gaze from the entirely too magnificent room of his and turned wavering blue eyes on Lucifer, who seemed to find himself more and more uncomfortable in the princeling's presence.

"Yes?" Lucifer ventured, avoiding Rin's gaze to instead focus on the wonderfully thick shock of black hair adorning Rin's hair. He knew it be soft, for as the child had slept Lucifer –who'd never personally encountered young children before, and never one like _Rin_- had shifted the ebony locks away from the cherubic face.

For Rin _was_ a fallen angel. It was in their blood, descended from Satan as they were, and so Rin had attained the attractive alluring features all of their family had. They were _angelic_, to be short, and no one could ever deny that any one of their blood was eye-catching. So, granted, Rin had been the first beautiful child he'd ever lay eyes on, yet, when Rin had opened his startling bright blue eyes, Lucifer had been taken aback.

Even if Rin looked like an angel, it did not mean he was one. For all intents and purposes, Rin was considered human, and could still die like one while his demonic soul was sealed away, and so Lucifer withdrew his hand, afraid that too careless of a touch would crumple the brilliant blue eyes, soft black hair, and rosy red cheeks. In short, Lucifer was quite afraid of touching Rin, like he was of all children younger than fifteen.

For if there was one golden shining mark in Lucifer's heavy blood dripping ledger, it was that he did not kill nor touch innocents. If he found any corruption, than without mercy Lucifer could face the soul and obliterate it. But innocents did not deserve that, and so he avoided them.

"Am I going to sleep alone?" Rin asked, watching the cat-like twitches Lucifer gave off. Rin had never slept alone in his life, and he was loath to start.

Predictably, the blond's answer was callous, confused, apathetic, and without foresight. "Of course. Who would be sleeping with you here?"

Sobering, Rin glanced down at his shoes, the dull light in Gehenna turning the white sneakers into some off color that did not offer any comfort to Rin. In fact, not a single thing here would be familiar to Rin, what with its twisted colors. Rin thought that even if he saw his own reflection it would be no more intimate than if he were to look at Satan's or Lucifer's.

Suppressing more tears as reality began to sink in, quietly Rin asked if it was time to go to bed. Though the sun would not set for a few more hours and Rin had slept from yesterday afternoon a whole twenty-four hours and then some, Lucifer thought Rin would be tired anyways, and so acquiesced that, indeed, it was time for Rin to head to bed.

"However," Lucifer said, "you will be woken early. Satan will have you thoroughly trained."

And before Rin could ask exactly what he meant by _trained_, Lucifer vanished from the room, the white door settling shut with a muted thud that Rin barely heard. Feeling the tears spilling over and blurring his sight, Rin rushed through the many layers draping his canopied bed, not caring if he tore or ripped the flimsy delicate materials, only finding solace that, as he crouched in heartbreak on the soft bed, the curtains shifted back into place to completely hide him from view. No one could see him cry then.

And Rin cried. Loneliness settled like a rock in his heart, and thoughts of Shiro, Yukio, and the priests could not hold the pain at bay. He wished desperately to be with them, to be at home. He could even see it in his mind's eyes, the way the monastery loomed in the night, how if one stood right in front of the intimidating iron gates surrounding the grounds, the overwhelming building would cover even the moon. But, stars would wink at him around the dark figure, and inside would be warm with lit traditional scones casting a warm light on the wooden pews he hated to sit on. And in a room off to the side, everyone would sit around the dinner table, heads bowed, an uneaten dinner sitting before them. And everyone would look sad because at the chair Rin normally sat in would be an empty seat, and even the one next to his, Yukio's, would be vacant because his twin would have been locked up in their room, sobbing out his heartbreak just as Rin was. And Shiro would linger in the darkness in his study, an open bottle of liquor resting on his heavy wooden desk, a used glass toppled beside it as the grand priest, who'd always stood tall and proud in Rin's memories, hunched over and began to sob.

These vivid images settled behind Rin's closed eyelids, and hesitantly, fitfully, the tired young boy fell into a heavy sleep, dreaming of happier times as the light in Gehenna slowly melted from a fiery orange hue into one of muted blues, purples, and nightly colors.

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**A/N: Hallo! Thanks for reading! A rather short chapter, I feel, but poor baby Rin is exhausted.**

**Friendly reminder that Rin is ten years old, and has probably been with his twin his whole life. And _PLEASE_, before anyone suggests it, NO, Lucifer is not a pedophile and will never be one nor hold any sort of romantic feelings for Rin. If there's any **_feelings_ **in the future between the two it will be entirely intrafamilial and of the paternal sort. Lucifer, like most people who've never handled children in their life, has no idea how to go about conversing, interacting, or generally being familiar with them. He's **_awkward_**, in short. **

**I feel like I've made Rin cry too much, but then I think, "**_He's been introduced to the world of demon's in the most unpleasant way possible, almost got eaten, has been set fire too many times to count, just got told he's demonic himself, got separated from his family, is in whole nother world, and might possibly just stay in that world. He's kinda got the right to be an emotional_ wreck**." **

**And, one last note: I've left a tremendous hint in here. If anyone can find it, or get close to it, or even identify what it is, y'all would be awesome. **

**And so, the usual drill. If you've found any grammar or spelling mistakes or something weird, please let me know so I can fix it! Thank you for reading so far, and I hope you're enjoying the story!**

**Until next time!**

**As of 6/19/2014: 2271 words**


	5. Chapter 4-1

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Ao no Exorcist, only this story plot.**

******Announcement! I'm considering whether or not the change the summary for this story. Please, head over to my profile and place your vote for one of the seven summaries I've put forth as options! **

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_Ad Captandum_

_Chapter 4.1_

_Assiah_

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Yukio had been crying so much, he wondered why his eyes hadn't fallen out. The azure-eyed boy knew it was impossible for his eyes to pop out just cause he's cried too much, but nonetheless the thought was there, and, even more inevitable, the thought reminded him of Rin, and his heart echoed in pain once more.

Having never been truly separated from his twin before Yukio had not realized exactly how valuable Rin was to him. He'd known, on some respect, that Yukio could not live without Rin- it was the very reason Yukio had begun to train as an exorcist. Yet, knowing and _knowing _were entirely different matters and it was a difference Yukio felt sorely.

Wisely, the priests, including Shiro, had decided to leave Yukio alone, for which the grieving youngster was grateful. He didn't want to look at anyone, didn't want to _be_ with anyone. If Rin wasn't there, than Yukio would rather be alone than surround himself with people who could never truly understand what it feels like to lose your twin.

Gritting his teeth at the thought, Yukio curled in on himself on the bed Rin slept on, the bottom bunk, because when they'd received the dual-natured bed Rin had complained incessantly on how if he had the top bunk he'd break his leg every morning climbing out of his bed half-asleep. And even though Yukio had wanted the bottom bunk himself, he'd relented on the argument, throwing a snide comment in that Rin would break his leg with or without the bed's help. Rin's only response had been a whoop for joy as he, in his mind's eye, had won the argument.

Wrapped in Rin's covers, Yukio found no comfort. His mind, too fast, too logical, and too cold for his own liking, already had found and acknowledged the cruel facts of life. Rin was gone, was in Gehenna, would be used as a vessel for Satan in Assiah, and was most likely being introduced to a cold merciless life. The only solace Yukio found was that Kurikara was whole, unbroken, and still safely stored away behind the door who's only entrance could be gained from the key swinging from Shiro's key ring.

But, it was not enough comfort for Yukio, who could only ever find true peace in Rin's return. The bright happy grin flashed in his mind again, and Yukio thought that, no matter how brave a front Rin would be putting on, he would most likely be crying too. Rin had always been the more emotional of the two, or, rather, the easiest to act on their emotion. Yet, Rin had a kind of strength in his heart that Yukio had selfishly depended on, and now, without the support, he found himself crumbling.

_I will get him back_, Yukio vowed viciously. _Even if I have to march in to Gehenna myself, I will get my brother back_.

The heavy words echoed in Yukio's mind, and the spent youngster found himself lulled to sleep by his heart-felt promise. _Tomorrow_, he thought, _I'll start tomorrow. _

It felt like moments later when Yukio shot up in bed, the sound of breaking glass, tearing wood, and terrified starts of yells yanking the boy from his sleep mercilessly.

Scrambling from Rin's bed, Yukio tripped and jammed his chin on the wooden floor boards, squeezing his eyes tight in pain for but a moment before he kicked the covers tangling his feet away, readjusted his skewed glasses, and grabbed the door handle even as he got his wayward feet under him.

Yukio pounded down the hallway, almost throwing himself down the stairs, breath getting caught in his throat because he recognized the snarling noises emanating from downstairs, suddenly felt the aura's pressing in on him even from here.

Skirting a corner and nearly slipping on the waxed floorboards, Yukio choked as the demonic sight greeted him.

The large chapel, formerly orderly with rows of softly polished wooden pews and tame flickering candles, was now exploding in chaos, fire chewing at the crushed pews, demons clinging from every imaginable surface, and _that demon_, the one who'd taken Rin away, standing in the center of it all, his curling horns glinting in the fiery light, the wide sharp-toothed grin sending shivers down Yukio's spine in waves of fear and hatred.

The priests were in a semi-circle curving towards the hoards of demon's demolishing the monastery, flames bellowing from one priests, gun shots ringing from another, and loud chanting words vanquishing other demons.

Stunned as he was, Yukio took in the sight quickly and hunted the room for his father, but he couldn't find the crown of white hair he knew belonged to Shiro's, could not locate the tall proud figure in his black robes.

"My lord?"

The astonished, angry, voice drew Yukio's attention, and he screamed in fear when he found Astaroth mere inches from his face, a cold hand gripping Yukio's shoulder, searing through from his clothes to burn his skin.

"My lord how did you-" Astaroth continued, staring at Yukio in a mixture of puzzlement, strange fear, unbridled anger, and a respect that terrified Yukio, who was now silent in pounding terror. Clarity cleared the demon's eyes, before they became clouded in a predatory gaze that froze Yukio's heart. "No…you are _not _my lord. Who _are_ you?" Astaroth demanded, his hand fiercely clutching Yukio's chin now, ushering forth more tears that blurred his azure eyes.

Then, blood spurted forth from Astaroth's chest, staining Yukio's cheeks, and when a crimson droplet landed in his eye he flinched and squeezed them shut, arms rising to cover his face as the demon released his chin. Trembling, Yukio could still hear the screams of demons and the sounds of their fight, and Astaroth's enraged growl reverberated in Yukio's ears, and the younger twin thought his heart would stop in fear, would just up and go dead from how hard it was beating in his chest.

"Exorcist!" Astaroth screamed, and hesitantly Yukio peeked from between his upraised arms. There, behind Astaroth's crouching figure, was Shiro, blood dripping down his face from a gash hidden by his thick white hair but detectable by the crimson liquid dyeing it. One hand held a loaded gun pointed securely at Astaroth, the other bringing a holy water filled grenade towards his curled lips, Shiro's teeth clinching the pin.

When the grenade exploded, the sound of releasing gas muted all other sound for a moment, and Yukio gained clarity. Swallowing all and any fear, Yukio knew he would remember all his exorcist training, and he ducked towards the right, disappearing among rows of demolished pews, ignoring the snarling screams of pain of Astaroth behind him. He was a demon, he'd taken Rin. The bastard deserved to suffer.

_In fact_, thought Yukio as he crouched in the debris, azure eyes going steely cold as he surveyed the damage done on Astaroth's borrowed skin in curling bloody lesions, _Astaroth_ _hasn't suffered_ enough.

An idea occurred to him suddenly, and the morbid delight it brought to him did not deter him morally as Yukio easily navigated the background, using his small figure to dart between heaps of demolished furniture. The side panel was just a few feet from the entrance, and several feet from where he was, and he crossed the distance quickly.

Yukio pressed the hidden wooden panel, and when it revealed the handle he felt his lips stretch in a feral grin. He snagged the handle in a childish hand, gripped tight, and pulled.

A sharp ringing sound reverberated in the high ceiling of the church, and sprinklers emitted holy water, eliciting screams of pain from the demons. From where he stood Yukio could see Astaroth curling over his seared arms, could see smoke rising from his charred back as continuous holy water soaked the demon. The face contorted in pain gave a kind of closure Yukio did not know he needed nor demanded, but was glad he'd achieved. _This_ is what he'd do to any demon between him and Rin. He'd make them _suffer _just like Yukio was, and just like Shiro was, and surely just like Rin was.

Several of the lower class demons vanquished from the water, and the exorcists now had an easier time getting rid of the rest.

Yukio tore his eyes away from them to scan the smoking, soaked, torn chapel for his father, but the red-eyed man was nowhere to be found.

Feeling anxious, the dredges of his sadistic pleasure fell away, to be pushed behind a growing worry as Yukio could not find Shiro once more. He'd been bleeding heavily from his head, and while logically Yukio knew head wounds bled a lot, he also logically knew that blood loss was no light matter. Apprehension snagged at Yukio's heart, and the youngster could feel the organ thumping uneasily.

Not paying any mind to the suffering demons surrounding him, Yukio made his way through the destroyed chapel, searching, hunting, hoping to find Shiro somewhere. The water had soaked his clothes, made them stick like a second skin that chafed uncomfortably where his skin rubbed against his body, dripped his black locks into his eyes continuously and developed large water droplets on his glasses that Yukio had to frequently wipe away using an equally soaked shirt.

He was having a hard time breathing again, but, as he drew closer to the heart of the battle and ignored further the worried calls of the priests, Yukio finally spotted his bloody father.

The paladin lay against a heap of wooden, the dark material of his clerical clothing damp and heavy not only with the holy water but with blood, discernible only where it stained Shiro's tanned skin.

Holding back a sob, Yukio felt all of his ten years weigh down in his knees, and he collapsed onto them by his father, gripping the collars of Shiro's clothes, headless for once how he became dirtied from the action.

"Daddy!" Yukio cried, bending down to press his face into Shiro's chest.

But Shiro was having none of it as he roughly pushed Yukio away, causing the young boy to fall back on his hands.

"You stupid boy!" Shiro cursed, glaring fiercely at Yukio, who felt like crying all over again. "Why are you here? No, go! Go hide!"

Obeying, Yukio staggered to his feet, but was stopped by a triumphant yell.

Somehow, without Yukio noticing, the sprinklers had stopped, and at the head of the room stood Astaroth, fallen priests scattered like petal throughout the chapel, and in Astaroth's clawed hands was clutched the black scabbard of Kurikara. Behind Astaroth was the ruined remains of a sealed room, brutishly torn into by sheer force to reveal it's location.

Yukio felt his blood run cold as Astaroth slowly drew the blade, the sound of the metal somehow reaching Yukio's ears even from several feet away. The young boy watched in numb horror as Astaroth swung the blade around in a blue fiery circle, gave a few experimental swipes, gripped it bare handedly in his two hands, and broke it with a laborious grunt.

A raging roar came from the broken blade as Rin's demonic soul was released, blue flames escaping wildly and surrounding Astaroth who screamed mindlessly in pain. The flames grew so large and bright Yukio couldn't see, and he cried out as he shielded his eyes from the intense light.

He could feel warmth wash over his skin and rifle through his hair, felt it dry his soaked clothes and pass his unsteady figure, to fill the entire room. He heard more broken glass as the flames pressed against the few still lingering windows and then expanded beyond it.

And then it was all gone.

Blinking for a few moments, Yukio waited disoriented as his sight slowly returned, spotted colors dancing in his vision. He could hear Shiro moving beside him, wood creaking and pattering onto the floor as the paladin stood. The other exorcists' groans were the only other sound permeating throughout the broken monastery, and when Yukio could finally see, there were no demons around.

Disbelieving, Yukio turned round and round, searching for even one scoundrel. But the blue flames had done them all in, even Astaroth, and there was no evidence left. All that remained was the slightly damp wood and the humans loitering around in various degrees of pain.

Finally, the younger twin turned to stare at his father, and was shocked still at the absolute heartbreak on Shiro's face, and the tears shining unshed in the blood red eyes of his father. Quietly, Shiro gathered Yukio into his arms, pressed a shuddering breath into Yukio's neck, and then desperately gripped the boy's arms.

Crying openly, Yukio felt his heart break a thousand times over as he found Rin to still be gone, his house destroyed, and his immovable solid dependable father break down on him. Yukio was finding everything he'd depended on being ripped away or torn to shreds, and all that he was left to stand on was his mangled heart, lonely soul, and achingly young years.

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**A/N: ****Announcement! I'm considering whether or not the change the summary for this story. Please, head over to my profile and place your vote for one of the seven summaries I've put forth as options! Your vote could decide the future face this story will have :)**

**Yukio can be cruel, and children can be cruel, so together I think child Yukio is pretty frightening.**

**Frankly, I'm dissatisfied with this chapter. I wrote this on a feverish high at some 2 in the morning, and when I came back to review it I found SO many mistakes... But, it's not only that. Perhaps the pacing of it...too fast? IDK, but I'll probably come back to further edit this chapter until it fits my liking. **

**And here begins Yukio's character development. We all know he's a pretty independent kid...but that's always been **_with_ **Rin. Without his dependable, solid, older brother, how will Yukio fair alone? Poor kid's probably traumatized, what with a demon attack in the middle of the night, a broken home, a broken father, a broken heart, and a broken sword. Will Yukio be able to patch everything together again, or will he build on this destroyed foundation in the hopes everything will be alright? Read to find out ;)**

**And, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Everyone who reviewed, you've made me so happy, I'm practically falling apart with giddiness! **BlackWitchesCat **pointed out that Lucifer is the eldest of 7 brothers, so shouldn't he have experience? My answer to that is that Nope. Lucifer never interacted with hardly any of his siblings until they were of a much older, corrupted, age, but Lucifer still retains a familiar attachment to them. As to the reason why Lucifer was absent in his younger siblings bringing-up, that will be explained in later chapters.**

**Some of you might be wondering (or might not have noticed at all), that chapter 1.1 is now just 1, chapter 1.2 is now just 2, and what was formerly chapter 2 is now 3. I promise the contents haven't been switched around again, I just made a mistake. When a chapter has a decimal, such as this one (4.1), it means every chapter with a decimal have taken place in the same time frame. For instance, chapter 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 would have all occurred within a good 12 hours. But, so far the story has been sequential with quite a number of hours passing between each chapter. For example, directly after the prologue the events of chapter 1 occurred, and a good 20 hours passed between chapter 1 and 2, while the contents of chapter 3 happen directly after chapter 2. And chapter 4's events happen a few hours after chapter 3's. The next chapter, 4.2, will occur at/around/during the same time as this chapter.**

**If this has been overly confusing, I can explain further in a private message. Please let me know. For now, a final review: Any chapters with a decimal suggest that the contents of each chapter are occurring simultaneously.**

**As always, if you've discovered any grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or something just not sitting right within your reading mind, please let me know! I'm still without a beta, but I try my best! Love and kisses, thanks for reading, and adieu!**

**ALSO! Don't forget to vote :)**

**As of 6/25/2014: 2189 words**


	6. Chapter 4-2

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Ao no Exorcist, only this story plot.**

**A/N: The poll is still up, please check it out and vote!**

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_Ad Captandum_

_Chapter 4.2_

_Gehenna_

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With a sharp cry Rin shot up from his sleep, groaning in pain as he erupted in flames. His ears…oh gods what was happening to his ears? They felt like they were…_growing_.

In disbelief, Rin made to touch them only to fall forward on to his hands as something erupted from the bottom of his spine, and he fell completely on his stomach as he lost any and all balance. He couldn't tell what was up or what was down anymore, and he felt nauseous. Saliva accumulated in his mouth, and Rin spat it out, heedless of where it fell. He erupted into blue flames with a raging roar, burnt cloth overwhelming his senses as he squeezed his eyes shut, his heart thundering in his chest so loudly it was all he could hear.

Curling in fear, terror, and shock Rin could only wait out the changes ransacking his body. The canines of his teeth sharpened so quickly they pierced his lips, drawing blood that dribbled down his chin and onto the pristine white covers beneath him. As quickly as the wound was created, though, it sealed, and Rin could literally feel the fibers of his skin reattach and sew themselves together.

His ears elongated, the tips of them reaching further back towards his head than was normal, and with shaking hands Rin fingered the curve of them, trembling and disoriented. Flames curled around his hunched frame, charring the covers he lay on and the canopy above him, destroying the bed. The smell of charred wood came to join the burnt cloth, and another smell. It was sharp, pinched, like lemon juice squeezed into your eye (which wasn't even a smell, but that's what it reminded Rin of), and it made him gag again on the utter thickness of the odor permeating the air around him. _Fear_.

Suddenly, he could _hear_, and _smell_ and _see_. He must've been blind before, had ear wax piled up, and something up his nose because there was such clarity as there never was before that all Rin could focus on was what his senses were feeding him, his eyes now open but seeing nothing.

Outside his room a demon –he could _feel_ it's demonic presence- was fidgeting, cowering under his own demonic presence.

Attention captured by his own aura, Rin felt around through it, how far it went, had big it was, how heavy it felt. It was like a very tangible, but transparent, barrier that cocooned Rin, that declared his birthright, and demonstrated his power. It filled his room, spilling all around him in undulating waves that Rin could feel made the much lower demon in the foyer of his rooms flinch in fear.

As Rin focused on his aura he felt another approaching.

Even from far away Rin cringed in abject fear as he could feel the promised pain, the raw power, the sheer magnitude of the demon coming closer.

Crouching as best he could, Rin lumbered clumsily towards the furthest corner in his canopied bed, ignoring the burnt smell and painful scent permeating the enclosed space and the utter decimation of the spot of the bed he'd been crouching over. His flames were dying down anyways, Rin thought to comfort himself, the demon won't be able to see the flames.

But no words could comfort Rin when he _knew_ now how much danger he was in. Just like he knew the sky was blue, grass was green, and Yukio was his twin, Rin knew that demons were dangerous, with a much more worse promise than a scraped knee in store.

With clammy hands he tugged the ruined covers up and over his trembling form, his heart bursting into palpitations Rin felt he'd experienced too often. Old Rin had thought the promise of a scolding and punishment from Shiro was fear, but now, _now_ Rin had a horribly detailed insight on to exactly what could incite fear from him.

The demon had passed the foyer, quiet words exchanging between the much stronger demon and the weak, frail, one standing in the room, and Rin could hear the near silent woosh the door gave as the overwhelming demonic presence entered his first room. He slapped a sweaty hand over his lips, trying to quiet the heavy breaths. Blood rushed in his ears. In the darkness of the thick covers Rin could barely see the outline of his hand, let alone of anything outside the cocoon he'd shrouded himself in.

He could hear the door handle of his room turn, the well-oiled mechanics obeying their purpose and allowing entrance to his rooms. Rin had never truly entertained the thought of danger, of not being safe, because childishly it had never occurred to him that he'd be in a situation where safety was a concern.

He was scared. His heart thundered so hard it overwhelmed his panicking lungs, and Rin was short of breath, a hand over his mouth and another clutching at the cloth in front of his heart, nails digging in to touch skin and somehow distract him from the fear.

"Rin," the demon said, wary, soft. As if Rin might still be asleep.

Instantly, everything in Rin relaxed, and he crawled sobbingly from his fort, bursting forth from the multitude of covers and somehow managing to land trembling arms around Lucifer's waist, pressing a tear-stained face into the soft silky cloth the blond demon wore.

Hesitantly, as if afraid, Lucifer's hand hovered round Rin's shaking shoulders. "Are you okay?" He asked, and finally, lightly, like a butterfly's touch, settling a tentative hand on the small round of one of Rin's shoulders.

When Rin fiercely shook his head, now crying so hard Lucifer could feel the liquid touching his stomch, he laid a tender hand on Rin's mussed locks, softly stroking them.

Like that they stayed, until Rin's tears quieted down, and still Lucifer petted the boy's head, soothing, comfortingly, offering a balm Rin had needed since he'd first awoken in this strange world.

Once Lucifer thought Rin could finally breathe without choking on his tears, the blond demon gently gripped Rin's shoulders and pushed the boy back, enough so that he could see into Rin's shiny blue eyes.

But before Lucifer could get a word in edgewise Rin burst. "What happened to me! My ears!" He exclaimed, fingering the now pointed lobe. "And...and I have a tail!" His eyes bulged in shock as the said member flipped, thrashing exictedly, mirroring Rin's emotions. Eagerly he grabbed the extension, cooing as, when he stroked it, Rin could feel it, the individual hairs being stimulated. It felt similar to someone touching his skin, or hair. It was part of him.

"And I can see so much more better, and hear, and smell, and..._taste_. I still taste yesterday's breakfast...egg and rice!" Rin continued, babbling at the height of excitement, not noticing how carefully Lucifer surveyed the changes even as Rin explored them himself.

Rin laughed, bewildered, rounding wide eyes on Lucifer. "What's _happening_?"

Lucifer mercilessly left Rin to his speculations as he continued finding his conclusions, not quite noticing how eager Rin was for answers. But Rin was impatient, and with a quick swipe of his hand he gripped one of Lucifer's long loose sleeves with such unanticipated strength he shocked Lucifer into almost dropping onto his knees.

A quick glare, a muted apology, and much dusting later, Lucifer gave Rin an explanation. He hesitated once more for a moment as he tried to reorganize his thoughts in a way Rin would understand. Lucifer was far too used to dealing with adults, scientists, and other's of a far more educated level. Not to say Rin was stupid, but, well, he was a _child_, and Lucifer was not quite sure on which level of knowledge that fell on.

Clearing his throat, the blond demon tried. "As we said earlier, you are the son of the demon god Satan, so you are demon. Yes?" At a exasperated nod of Rin's head, Lucifer nodded in return, and then began to lead them to the set of sitting furniture off in the corner, settling himself in a sofa, and Rin perching at the very edge of the chaise, as close to Lucifer as possible.

"You've been raised human for most of your life, and...now that you're back in Gehenna you've returned to your demon state. Understand?"

Rin voiced his comprehension, his tail resting on his legs giving off spastic twitches occasionally as Rin's attention waned and waxed, flitting about as his various new enhanced senses fed him a multitude of information.

"And now, little princeling, it is time for bed." Lucifer said affectionately, taken only slightly aback when Rin vehemently opposed the idea.

"But I'm not tired!" Rin pouted, standing now and his tail flashing in tune with the boy's distress. "I don wanna go to the bed!"

But Lucifer was an observant demon - he had to be, to have lived for so long- and he shook his head. "You've bags under your eyes, and you've exercised too much of your powers for someone who's had them for so short a time. You must rest, or you will be too ill to properly train your sword skills tomorrow."

Instantly, Rin lit up. "I get to learn how to fight with a sword?"

Lucifer nodded, standing now and walking towards the door. "Sleep well. You must get your rest." And, respectfully and politely, the blond demon tried to leave Rin's inner chambers, but was arrested by skinny arms wrapping themselves around his midriff again.

"Thanks nii-san! Good night!" And Rin bounded to his bed, shoving out a bundle of charred covers and disappearing through the mist of layered curtains.

Shocked, Lucifer stood in silence for a moment, listening as the young boy rearranged his bedspread to better accommodate his body, heard vague mumbles of sleepy talk, a large yawn, and then the soft breaths of a child asleep.

Silently, the tall demon padded over to the canopy, and only when he was positive Rin was asleep did he draw back the curtains.

Flushed, Rin lay on his many pillows, scattered all around him so that it looked like he was asleep in a mound of soft snow, edged in burnt embers. Once again, Lucifer was struck by his angelic visage, and he let the blinds fall back into place, and he left.

He had to report to father how Rin had fared the re-possession of his demonic soul.

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**A/N: This chapter was awfully short, wasn't it? Did any of you suspect it would be Lucifer who was so almighty and powerful?**

**Not sure if I'm quite satisfied with this chapter. I might come back and edit it a bit, though I doubt it. **

**A lot of y'all were looking forward to Rin's reaction to his powers. I hope I did the scene justice! It's so short because this **is **the middle of the night. **

**Egad, I changed the POV so much... The next chapter is also set in Gehenna! Rin's second day in hell, how will our demon prince fare? **

**I'll keep the poll up for a few chapters, and then it'll be down! Don't forget to head over to my account and vote, and for those who have already, thank you!**

**Misspellings, grammar mistakes, anything weird, ect. ect., please let me know! **

**Lots of love, and until next time! **

**As of 6/30/2014: 1751 words**


	7. Chapter 5

**Disclaimers Apply. I do not own Ao no Exorcist, only this story plot.**

**A/N: The poll will only be up until the next chapter is posted, which will most likely be on 8/6/14**

**There is also a blog dedicated to snippets and updates on tumblr titled "**_inky-finger-tips_**" with the subtitle** **"**_12:17_ AM**"**

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_Ad Captandum_

_Chapter 5_

_Gehenna_

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When Rin awoke next, he found soft light to be softly permeating his layered curtains, and he thought it odd how easily he accepted the changes. Twitching softly beneath the burnt covers, brushing his fingertips where they lay nearby, was the tip of his tail, it's delicate furs cataloging any and all sensations, traveling up his spine and making him shiver. He turned onto his side and his leg brushed the charred remains of the center of his bed.

Suddenly, tears bubbled up in his eyes, blurring his vision, and he fiercely scrubbed at them, willing them to be gone. He couldn't be crying. He'd cry when everything was over, when he was back home in Shiro's arms and holding Yukio's hand.

He grit his teeth against the overwhelming urge to cry and then yelped, his mouth flying open in shock and his tongue racing to gently probe the injured cheek his newly sharpened canines had pierced. The shock eased any new tears, and the few that remained slipped down his cheek unnoticed.

Rin raised a finger to investigate only to stop short when he spotted the long nails adorning each fingertip. He brought his hands up to eye level and found all of his nails had become long and tapered off sharply, and Rin figured if he stuck one of his new fingers into his mouth he'd come away with even more scratches.

So, hesitantly, Rin probed the injured area of the inside of his cheek with his tongue once more, but blinked when he could no longer locate the soreness. Amazed, Rin thought maybe he'd just imagined the sharp pain.

Sitting up, the covers fell to lay crumpled around his figure, and as he shifted one of his feet came to poke out of the charred sheets, flakes of burnt cloth floating away as his foot disturbed them.

Gingerly Rin reached out for his tail, shocked when it lifted languidly and met his clawed hand halfway. He gripped the silky member, watching as it flipped softly, slowly, like a soft wind was softly swaying the tail. He wasn't really controlling it consciously. Just like how he would twitch a finger, it was automatic, no thought necessary, and so his tail moved.

He sat there uncertain for some time, hands gently gripping his tail just under the tuft of black hair at it's end. Should he wait here for someone to come and get him?

Scowling, Rin tossed aside the covers and stood, heedless of how his tail twitched behind him erratically. But, as Rin's feet sunk into the thick carpet, a pressure made itself known in Rin's bowels, and he groaned. Oh, he _really_ had to go.

_Wasn't there a bathroom somewhere around here_, Rin thought, trying hard to remember past the startling midnight attack he had, that was already fraying around the edges, and to recall the brief tour he'd received of his rooms the day before.

In the other room, he remembered suddenly, a plain brown door looming in his memory. Like a child, he ignored all the grandeur around him and rushed towards the room, passing through the large white doors leading to his bedroom to stumble into the sitting room. But Rin pulled short, almost losing it when he found someone to be reclining in the living room.

Squeezing his legs close together, Rin squeaked out, "Be right back!" at a startled Lucifer and rushed across the room, almost tripping once he entered the bathroom.

There he relieved himself, sighing blissfully. It had been over a day since he last used it. Now feeling much better, Rin whirled around to wash his hands, but felt his heart leap into his throat.

An entire wall of mirrors reflected a demon back at him.

A short boy of ten years with black hair and flaming horns adorning his temples, a slender black tail curling round his body languidly, long ears stretching out to catch and all sound, his own gasp softly echoing within the membrane.

Stepping closer, Rin reached up to trace his mirror's image, lingering around his no longer familiar eyes. Squeezing them shut, Rin tried to recall their previous color, a blue similar the the sky's color at noon, but when he opened them again he found the jagged red bound pupil, surrounded by the blue of Satan's flames. He stared into his irregular pupils, trying to find the end in their depths.

Rin looked for any sign of his earlier tears, even of the sob-fest he made of himself the night prior, but there was no swollen eyelids or blood-red eyes. Tearing his gaze away from his study, Rin realized he wasn't a human anymore. He was a monster, a denizen of the creatures that went _bump_ in the night.

Flashes of late night stories between himself and his twin suddenly reared in his memory, of talk of vampires and zombies and ghosts. But never of demons.

Rin turned away from his reflection and finally washed his hands, rinsing his mouth when he found no toothbrush or paste supplied there for him.

When the young demon emerged from the bathroom he found Lucifer reclining casually in one of the plump chairs, bent elbow on the armrest and his head resting on his fist, light blond hair falling over his shoulders and his golden tail resting across his lap, the tip flicking restlessly. Rin focused on the peculiar tuft of straight hair stretching from the crown of his head. _Like a horn_, Rin thought.

"Good morning," the Morning Star greeted politely. His eyes flitted towards the glass-less windows "Or, probably better, good afternoon. You've missed most of your morning classes, but no matter." Here Lucifer stood, his silken hair falling back into place like water. It caught the afternoon light and reflected it and, as always, captured all of Rin's attention.

"Classes?" Rin asked, confused and dazed. He must've heard wrong.

Lucifer smiled placidly. "Yes, classes. You will study Gehenna geography and history, along with basic biology, math, science-"

"Wait wait wait. Hold on. Are you telling me that even in hell I still have to go to class?" Rin demanded in disbelief, his tail twitching behind him. Have his flames fried his brain?

Lucifer released an _ahh_ kind of sound, placing his hands on his hips and settling comfortably in a stance that left his torso wide open, his tail curling mid-air. Rin frowned at this, and wondered why he noticed at all.

"Of course. You must be educated, and since you've missed ten years of being a demon, you have a lot to catch up on."

Rin gaped at him. "School?! I'm literally in hell and I still have to go to school?" He snorted sarcastically. "Oh, but that makes sense now, huh?"

But before Rin had even finished speaking Lucifer had already walked past him, pushing out the door and leaving Rin to scramble after him. Damn those long legs!

The blond continued on at his pace purposely, navigating the halls of the gargantuan castle effortlessly. Rin tried his best to keep the sub-king's stately head in view as much as possible, that one tuft of hair distracting him once more, before Rin's eyes trailed to notice other much more demonic traits.

Gazing at the curve of Lucifer's long ears, Rin asked, "Why...why do I look so different? What happened?" All Rin remembered from the night before was pain, lots and lots of pain, a warm chair, a muted conversation, and bright blue flames, consuming him over and over. His hands lifted to caress his own ear, fingering the long inhuman stretch they now made.

Lucifer threw a quick glance back as if noticing his new features for the first time. He faced forward again. "We found your demonic soul sealed. Up until last night you had been forced to live as a human, but once we freed your soul your demon blood activated and all those features you think are foreign now have finally returned. Believe it or not, little fallen angel, you were born like this. The exorcists concealed your true self."

Rin did not know what to say at this. Had he been betrayed? Or saved? His own flames, destructive in their wild passion, reared in his memory, along with the countless times he had wished for the blood of his enemies, had delighted in the feel of their pained cries as he delivered the justice he thought was right. How many times had he hurt a person in the name of his brother, how many times had he been called a demon, had contested this name, and had not realized it was true?

"I am a demon," Rin said aloud, and Lucifer replied with nothing, ignorant of the context behind Rin's muted words. The voices of countless angry mothers, sneering kids, and disgusted teachers echoed in his mind, and Rin angrily tried to forget them.

"Your hearing, sight, and touch should be much better than your previous human senses. You should also be much stronger, with a better physique over all. Besides the physical differences, your own aura has manifested."

"My what?" Rin asked, trying to match Lucifer's merciless pace.

"Your demonic aura. Think of it like…" the blond trailed off, his hands rising to gesture uselessly in the air. Rin followed the uncharacteristic movements, trying to discern some tangible idea from them. "Like...a barrier?" The fallen angel finally said.

"Oh!" cried Rin. "Like in the animes!"

"Ani-what?" Lucifer asked, completely ignorant of the term Rin used.

"You know, anime!" At Lucifer's uncomprehending stare, Rin blinked. "You've never seen an anime?"

"Is that a show?" Tried Lucifer.

"No silly!" Rin giggled. "It's not a show, it's just what you call them!"

Completely confused, the Morning Star gave up. "What do you think it means?"

"It's uhhh, it's like," here Rin gestured up and down with both arms, "like an invisible circle that surrounds people, and it doesn't let other people hit them. Is that called an aw-awra too?"

"Aura," Lucifer emphasized, before nodding. "Vaguely similar, I suppose. It is indeed invisible, but other demons and yourself can still sense it. Here, feel this." He stopped, Rin also scrambling to a halt beside the demon king.

Suddenly, like a pulsating wave, Rin was smacked in the face by nothing he could see but he could most certainly feel. Outraged, his own demonic presence reared in response, pushing angrily against the opposing barrier Lucifer was inflicting upon Rin. Terrified, Rin's eyes searched wildly for what was attacking him, but he could see nothing. Like a hot flash the memories of the night before surfaced, and Rin quite intimately knew what an aura was. His heart thudded painfully in an instinctual fear that Rin did not know how to placate.

The other demon smiled. "Ahh, see? You're trying to push back. However I am much more powerful than you are." As if demonstrating this fact, Lucifer pushed forward with his aura, overwhelming Rin's entirely so that it recoiled tightly around him, like a second skin desperately trying to recede into Rin's body. Rin's tail thrashed wildly behind him, hair puffing and standing on end.

Unbidden, a growl ripped from Rin's throat, and startled the youngster into slapping a hand against the offensive skin.

"It is tied entirely into your instinctive nature. When it feels a threat it will lash out. When it is threatened enough, it will recede to protect you. It most certainly can be used as an offensive weapon, appealing to the instinctual side of demon's by demonstrating your much more superior abilities. The aura, like our tails, symbolizes how powerful we are. Your tail," Lucifer's bobbed forward, wagging languidly in between the two. "Is the most sensitive part of your body. Any opponent, no matter how weak, could kill you if they can get a hold of your tail. Granted these opponents are without class if they do so, since it is considered highly taboo to touch another demon's tail without permission, though it is accepted for it to be done between family members and lovers." Lucifer held his hand out expectantly, and hesitantly Rin allowed his stiff tail, fur standing on end from the blond's previous demonic attack, to rest in the outstretched demon's hand.

Gently, Lucifer smoothed the angry member into submission, and unconsciously Rin relaxed. Rin sighed in contentment, and the Morning Star smiled lightly.

"Of course, this exemption doesn't apply entirely towards our family. Do not trust so easily, little brother, because not all of our siblings will be as kind as I am." Abruptly, he dropped Rin's tail and turned away, continuing their walk. Rin walked alongside him, the black stalk drooping to twist itself round Rin's body.

"We're finally here. I will not always escort you, you will have a retainer to do so, and most likely your meals will be served in your rooms, but for now this is the informal dining area." Lucifer pushed open the heavy wooden doors and Rin followed him in, glancing for but a second at the hallway they'd left behind. Then, the doors shut behind him.

* * *

**A/N: The poll will be up until 8/6/14. Please head on over to my profile and check it out!**

**There is also a tumblr blog with the url **_inky-finger-tips . tumblr . com_ **(delete the spaces) dedicated to updates on my writing, some ideas, au's, character musings, snippets of chapters, and where you can shoot me a message. I might also take up requests from prompts on any Ao no Exorcist character! Please check it out :)**

**This chapter was cut off quite abruptly, I know. But I needed to chop it somewhere, cuz if not it might have delved into the lands of 7,000+ words, and that would have been an absolute **_nightmare _**to review. This chapter is pure exposition, as well as the next one, but the one **_after_ **that will be quite action-packed, with a tinge of sadness. **

**Children, unlike adults, adapt very easily (not always the case, mind you. All humans are different afterall~) but they are still in the stage of learning about the world and accepting any piece of information that floats their way as the iron-truth. Rin is a ten year old child, a rather bright and happy kid, and not one to dwell on upsetting ideas or memories. But don't worry, Rin isn't giving up on heading home :)**

**Some shout-outs!, or rather, replies to reviews that I think contain information for the general populace:**

Dragon Fang 2011: Aww your review made me really happy! Thanks, and you actually encouraged me to finish this mostly typed chapter, so kudos to you!

Satan-chan: Since Kurikara is broken Rin's ENTIRE demonic soul has been released, so he stays permanently demon, elongated ears, jagged pupils, and flaming horns and all.

sillywidget: I don't really have an approximate chapter count, only the notion that it's going to be dreadfully long. I can confidently say 30+ chapters, though I've a sneaky suspicion it's going to be much more longer (cuz I have a bad tendency to include fluff and details...)

**Any spelling, grammar, or weird-ness mistakes, lemme know! I'll correct them as much as I can :) Thanks for reading (and I'm terribly sorry about the long wait). I try to keep weekly updates to on or around Tuesday~**

**Until next time!**

**As of 7/30/2014: 2194 words**


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